Dragon Age 2 - First Screens

July 13th, 2010, 23:31

GameInformer has the first couple of screens from Dragon Age 2. You may have seen these in previous articles but these are high resolution, so you can get a decent look. Two screens isn't much to go on but there's a definite shift to a stylised look, as previously indicated by the initial announcement.
Thanks Omega and Alrik.More information.

Originally Posted by JDR13
I just don't understand how that's supposed to look better than DA:O

Honestly, the only thing I can think of is that those aren't even from an alpha build. It would be super sloppy marketing, but, hey, at least it would mean that they are still working on it, and hard.

As for the art style, I don't like it. It doesn't mesh well with the first game, with what they were trying to accomplish with the setting and with Bioware's usual style.
I don't hate stylized/cartoonish, but this doesn't quite hit the spot for me.

Originally Posted by GothicGothicness
Don't forget it is a multi-platform title… and the consoles are aging, without specific optimazations it ain't going to look much better than that.

However I think the backgrounds will look better, they are probably still not done + the second screen looks a bit too crappy….

The whole 'console are aging' things doesn't really work, sorry.
There's tons of better looking games than DA:O for console, not to mention that these screenshots look worse than Origins.
BTW, on the Bioware's boards, Gaider confirmed that the build they're working on now already looks better than those shots, and that while there isn't indeed much time, we should apparently take into account that the whole dev cycle was quite short, and that, indeed, it's more a matter of percentage completed than of X months left.
Not that I find that particularly reassuring..

There is a brightness in the colors, reminds me the Drakensang and to be honest I like that. In my opinion, apart from character face models and combat animations, Drakensang's graphics was much better than Dragon Age Origins, anyway.

Low-res environment textures are still there, though. But, I think final product will be looking much better. It must be. Because, when the game will be released, it will have strong competitors like Two Worlds 2, Witcher 2, Diablo 3, Gothic 4 both on the consoles and PC. Otherwise, graphic whores won't show mercy to Bioware. Remember the differences between Dragon Age's first screens and the final ones.

Bioware (EA?) found the formula for selling millions of copies: Take the popular name of Dragon Age, add some Mass Effect style combat and add more colorful graphics like Wow to reach all the American gamers out there.

Originally Posted by Gokyabgu
Bioware (EA?) found the formula for selling millions of copies: Take the popular name of Dragon Age, add some Mass Effect style combat and add more colorful graphics like Wow to reach all the American gamers out there.

I'd like to know what process of thought lead you into thinking that Dragon Age II will have Mass Effect style combat, since what we know right now is that the PC version will retain the strategic/top down combat and that the console version will be tailored to the strengths of the consoles it will run on (which could mean practically anything).

Originally Posted by WorstUsernameEver
I'd like to know what process of thought lead you into thinking that Dragon Age II will have Mass Effect style combat, since what we know right now is that the PC version will retain the strategic/top down combat and that the console version will be tailored to the strengths of the consoles it will run on (which could mean practically anything).

ACTION AND FANTASY COLLIDE IN BIOWARE’S DRAGON AGE 2
Rise to Power and Change the World Forever in the Sequel to 2009’s RPG of the Year
Guildford, UK (July 8, 2010) – Leading video game developer BioWareTM, a studio of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS), confirmed today that Dragon AgeTM 2 is in development at BioWare’s Edmonton-based studio. Dragon Age 2 is the sequel to the triple-platinum-selling Dragon Age: Origins which was named “RPG of the Year” in 2009 by Game Informer, G4, IGN, and SpikeTV. With Dragon Age 2, the world’s preeminent RPG developer is revolutionizing the genre again, infusing the universe with more action, a new, more responsive combat system and a dynamic story that is already among the most multifaceted in gaming. Dragon Age 2 traces the rise to power of Hawke, a survivor of the Blight and a hero who will transform the face of the Dragon Age universe forever. The new game is scheduled for release in March of 2011 on the Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system, PlayStation 3 computer and entertainment system, and PC.

“Last year’s launch of Dragon Age: Origins was one of the most successful in BioWare’s 15-year history and one of the most successful new IP launches in the 28 year history of EA,” said Dr. Ray Muzyka, Senior Vice President of Electronic Arts and co-founder and Group General Manager of BioWare. “Dragon Age 2 will simultaneously deliver an epic story and set a new bar for intense action in the genre. We're very excited to deliver this next bold evolution in the Dragon Age franchise to our fans."

“With Dragon Age 2 we are creating an exciting new entry point into the Dragon Age universe while ensuring that fans of the original game retain a sense of satisfaction and familiarity in the world,” said Dragon Age 2 Executive Producer Mark Darrah. “We are amplifying the things that made Dragon Age: Origins such a huge success while introducing a more dynamic combat system, improving the graphics, and telling the most important story in our world.”

Dragon Age 2 thrusts players into the role of Hawke, a penniless refugee who rises to power to become the single most important character in the world of Dragon Age. Known to be a survivor of the Blight and the Champion of Kirkwall, the legend around Hawke’s rise to power is shrouded in myth and rumor. Featuring an all-new story spanning 10 years, players will help tell that tale by making tough moral choices, gathering the deadliest of allies, amassing fame and fortune, and sealing their place in history. The way you play will write the story of how the world is changed forever.

More action, dynamic combat, revolution, bla bla bla.
Also you can choose Shep… pardon me, Hawke as the main character.

I'm concerned too, but after some of the wildly inappropriate marketing DAO had (remember the furore over the 'violence' trailer?), I'm trying not to draw too many conclusions from these press releases.

-- “ Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius – and a lot of courage – to move in the opposite direction.“ (E.F.Schumacher, Economist, Source)

The game where you start as a king and the main story consists of your char´s perilous journey to the bottom would certainly be a fresh experience .

Anyway, poor graphical quality aside, art direction gives me a bit of Dark Sun vibe and I rather like the overall grim mood I´ve seen in some other concept screens etc. I´ve nothing against a more stylized approach on condition it isn´t overkill. So far I have´t seen anything alarming.
However, I really hope darkspawn will be largely sidestepped in the sequel. Maybe some hordes in the prologue, then only rare encounters, or, well, joinable character might be interesting, but I´ll be really disappointed if it will be the most frequent cannon fodder again. There was more than enough of darkspawn in the first game.
So basically, what Ovenall said.